2. analog
  3. 128615-13747

Best value record cleaner/cleaning system

Thought I would ask the group -- when I was last in the analog game some 12-15 years ago it was a VPI or Nitty Gritty for record cleaning (that and the wood-handled Discwasher pad with red-bottle liquid, Zerostat and Decca CF brush for just before playing an LP)... are these still the go-to standard units, or has the state of the art / ’value’ options advanced to some other kits in the present? I see cleaner units now from Pro-ject, Music Hall, Spin Clean, etc etc.

In my case I am not trying to ’deep clean’ mistreated, flea market or recycled recors store records... just good hygiene maintenance-cleaning of a treasured collection - 80% regular records, 20% ’audiophile’ pressings.

Thanks in advance.
jjss49

Showing 2 responses by pryso

pryso
1,980 posts
 
slaw, more than reviews (who knows what experience many online posters have?) it seems like both VPI and your dealer were to blame.

I've owned two VPI 16.5s and had none of your problems with either one.  First it is hard to imagine your platter was not secured properly but obviously that somehow slipped through.  Regarding the strong suction, that is simply a function of the angle of the slot in the tube relative to the record surface.  Viewed from the outside end, if the slot points straight down (180 on a 360 degree reference) then the vacuum will be too strong.  If set backwards (< 180 degrees) it will not pick up the fluid.  VPI specifies the slot should be at 185 degrees for efficient vacuuming.  It seems your dealer should have checked that.  The two I've owned have been and I get complete drying in two revolutions.
pryso
1,980 posts
 
slaw, I've not read this post for awhile, so going back a month to your comment I'll add this.

While my VPI was set properly as delivered, a friend received one which was not.  He is not a person with much patience so I offered to help.  Contacting VPI I was told (by Mike, though this was several years ago) about the 185 degree setting for the suction tube.  Thinking it through that makes perfect sense, but I agree it should have been in the manual.
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